Other Kinds of Solutions: Policy
Policy is an essential aspect of change because there is a higher change that rules are enforced once they become law. Once an idea becomes written law rather than s suggestion, more compliance is expected and it becomes real. It is more likely to be effective if there are potential consequences for disregarding the law. Government intervention through the forms of enforcement staff and financial assistance is a bonus with official policy. Though individual action is important, we’ve learned that we are in desperate need of large scale change regarding environmental issues. The focus of this post will be an example of policy regarding solid waste in particular, the Michigan Solid Waste Policy of 2017. It was drafted to provide direction for Michigan to manage waste materials in a smart and strategic way while collaborating with all interested parties.
The waste policy promotes the perspective of seeing solid waste as a resource in the economy and challenges us to make decisions based on sustainable principles of people, planet, and profit, the triple bottom line approach. This aims to promote economic prosperity, ecological integrity and improved quality of life all throughout the state. The policy ensures that all interested stakeholders are involved in decision making processes and aims to minimize unintended consequences.
The policy is shaped by a handful of guiding principles. The first is to avoid waste generation, use generated waste for beneficial purposes, and then to dispose of what remains properly. An important concept to be introduced is the pyramid of waste hierarchy. The waste hierarchy is a system that ranks the waste management options according to how good or bad they are for the environment. It ranges from preventing waste, which is best for the environment, to the least preferred choice of landfill disposal. Listed below are the five options that are included from most preferred to least.
- Prevention: Simply preventing waste from arising in the first place → using fewer/avoiding unnecessary materials during the design, manufacture, and packaging of products.
- Reuse: Cleaning, repairing, and refurbishing items, as well as avoiding single use products and use reusable alternatives instead
- Recycling: Turn waste into a new item or product and reduce the amount of raw materials required
- Recovery: When waste that can’t be recycling is used to recover energy through “waste to energy” to reduce reliance on fossil fuels
- Disposal: Least sustainable option, landfill and incineration
The next principle indicates that the state will make decisions regarding waste while recognizing the relationship among global, national and regional systems of resource use. Additionally, the policy states that Michigan recognizes the distinct roles and responsibilities of public institutions, governments, the private sector, and individuals in being involved and making choices regarding waste management. Finally, the state recognizes that solid waste management choices all have short and long term costs and benefits economically, environmentally, and socially.
Objections to the policy may come from businesses within the state that do not value sustainability professionally as part of their mission. There may be disbelief or distrust in the severity of the issue that results in not enforcing the policy within their community or business. While it has potential to be efficient if enforced properly, barriers to change may be seen when not enough people, groups, or businesses enforce the policy. Enforcement will stem from continuously studying data trends on the effectiveness of the policy and contacting participating parties if changes are necessary on their part.
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